Page 149 of The Restoration Program

“Care to make another wager? Think she’ll go peacefully or put up a fight when it’s time to go home?” one of the otherAssociatesaccountants asked. The room clamored to place their bets, and the woman readily began tallying.

Crossing his arms on the long bench of monitors, Lucas observed the reunion sourly. She was frightened, but calming down, listening raptly as Ryan spoke with her. He’d put fifty dollars on her fighting him, kicking and screaming like number five.

He reached over the tech seated in front of him, maneuvering the controls of Camera A into a new position.

“Hey, you shouldn’t touch that,” the tech snapped.

“We shouldn’t be in here at all,” Lucas snorted. “But you provided the key, so…”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He got the camera nice and close on Nicole’s face. She was pretty as a peach, with those soft brown eyes and elegant bone structure. But was it a face worth four-hundred-thousand? Debatable.

He raised his eyebrows with intrigue when Nicole wrenched away from Ryan’s touch and covered her face with her hands.

Maybe he’d come out on top on this wager after all.

One of the other Program staff members leaned against the back wall. She took a drag from her vape pen. “Say. Don’t you guys feel a little bad, betting against your own boss like this?”

“Please, he can take it. Rumor is, Northe blackmailed the old man into giving him controlling interest of the firm,” Lucas said. “Besides. He’s richer than god and weird as shit. If you knew the freaky stuff he’s dragged me to…”

“Masked orgies?” one of the accountants asked, smirking.

“Hilarious, fuck you. It’sthis. He’s obsessed with this place,” he said, gesturing at the Facility walls around them. “Last week, it was a gala for the Disciplinary Rehabilitation process. Fuckers on display were no bigger than myfinger.”

“No kidding?”

The tech in front of him groaned. “It’s a prison reform initiative. Supposed to revolutionize overcrowding in high-security prisons. I’ve seen the sketches. They wanna want to turn fifty percent of all prison buildings into clean power plants within ten years.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen the press release. It’s still weird as shit and not my idea of a great Saturday night. No offense.”

“I just work here,” the tech muttered. “Bunch of goddamn loonies on the board, I swear.”

Lucas smirked at that. Mr. Northe had been campaigning discreetly to join the Restoration Program board of directors. He’d fit right in.

“Hey, have you collected on how you think this one’ll kick the bucket?”

“Don’t be so pessimistic,” one of the other accountants said. “This could be the one that makes it.”

“Nah, look at her face. She’s pulling away already. This one’s definitely gonna off herself. Six months, tops.” He pulled out his wallet.

“My money’s on another ‘accident’ with this one,” someone else chimed in. “What was the last one, a heart attack?”

“Right. NüPrints don’t get heart attacks.”

Footsteps approached the door. The group tensed collectively, but there was nothing to do but face the music when Dr. Jenning stormed in.

“I thought I made myself clear last time,” she hissed, eyes wide with contempt.

“Sorry, ma’am, they said we could,” Lucas said, holding up his hands.

“Clear out, all of you. Now!”

“We were just—we were just looking,” one of the accountants offered.

“Yeah,” Lucas nodded.

“If you had any idea how valuable my time is, you wouldn’t dare waste it, you arrogant child,” she fired back. “I’ve got Congress waiting on my response and three national news outlets in my office. I’ve turned a blind eye to the money you’ve slipped my staff, but this is the last time. If I see you in here again, I’ll ensure Mr. Northe understands the loyalty of his employees.”

TheAssociatesstaff paled, exchanging nervous glances.

As the room emptied, Lucas paused to offer her the same smile that had gotten him out of his first DUI. “Won’t happen again, ma’am,” he said sincerely.

Once the room was clear, Jenning released a slow sigh. She stopped in front of the monitors and stared. Nicole was weeping on Ryan’s shoulder as he stroked her back. His expression was perfectly assured.

Their faces had become like ghosts to her. Visages she saw in her dreams and nightmares when she closed her eyes at night.

“Good luck,” Jenning whispered, then shut off the monitors.